FT: Gibson J-200

[crewlawyer]

Amazing 1990 Blonde Gibson J-200 in near mint condition for trade. Original case and all documentation. No pickup ever installed. Looking for the following:

ES-335
ES-345
ES-355
R7, R8, R9

I can add cash (or another guitar) for the right guitar.

These 1990 J-200's are made with European maple which was sent by Gibson to set up the Bozeman Acoustic Shop. Ren has said the guitars they made from this batch of wood are some of the best ever! This guitar has no issues - looks, plays, and sounds amazing. Trade value is $2500.

 

[rockinlespaul]

If Ren says its good...its good!

GLWTS! I bet its a cannon!

 

[crewlawyer]

If Ren says its good...its good!

GLWTS! I bet its a cannon!

Yep, here's the story on these special J-200's: Two 1990 J 200-Fred specials on ebay - Gibson Guitar Board

From that thread:

My understanding was that "back in the day" when the Bozeman plant got its start (1988-89), and as they were gearing up with equipment, supplies, designs, etc., a volume of wood was provided by the Gibson plant in Nashville, which at the time, had historically produced not only electrics, but also acoustics. Although, during the mid- to late-80s, acoustic production was pretty small, being as Eric had not yet released his "unplugged" album, and it was the era of Big Hair shredder bands.

So, as the story was told me, Nashville had a bunch of nicely aged maple sitting around in the plant, and that *might* have already been on hand in Kalamazoo (although no one has ever indicated that it was). That maple was sent from Nashville to Bozeman for use in constructing new acoustic guitars. And it turned out that that maple was European maple, or sycamore. (I'm not a plant biologist so don't ask me about genus and species etc.)

Some folks I knew of at the time (fingerstyle whiz John Standifer, who was with Gibson dealer Beacock Music in Vancouver Washington and Ren Ferguson to name a few) had praised early Bozeman maple guitars made with this wood highly. "If you EVER find an early sycamore J-200 or J-100, BUY IT! -- they're GREEEEAT!"

The very first day we got an internet hookup at the house, I happened across a 1989 J-100 on Elderly's website, and with no hesitation, bought it. It was one these 'sycamore' guitars: a kind of micro-stippled fairly plain figure in the wood. Typically, even the more figured wood was mildly figured. In 1999, I took that guitar with me on a trip and stopped in to visit Ren at Bozeman . . . .

Though I don't own that guitar anymore (I think it's actually living in Kalamazoo these days), it was everything that Ren and John and others had said -- dry, woody, big sound, articulate. All in all, a great guitar.

 

[kracdown]

PM'd